(19)

(11)

EP 1 504 258 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 07.10.2004 (43) Date of publication: 09.02.2005 Bulletin 2005/06 (21) Application number: 03719920.5 (22) Date of filing: 22.04.2003

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: G01N 33/20 (86) International application number: PCT/US2003/012761 (87) International publication number: WO 2003/091446 (06.11.2003 Gazette 2003/45)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR (30) Priority: 23.04.2002 US 128281 (71) Applicant: Beckman Coulter, Inc. Fullerton, CA 92834-3100 (US)	(72) Inventors: MATSON, Robert, S. Orange, CA 92869 (US) MILTON, Raymond, C. La Habra, CA 90631 (US) OBREMSKI, Robert, J. Yorba Linda, CA 92886 (US) SILZEL, John, W. Yorba Linda, CA 92886 (US) (74) Representative: Müller-Boré & PartnerPatentanwälte  Grafinger Strasse 2 81671 München 81671 München (DE)